On September 19, MA Center LA devotees gathered at a devotee's home for a deeply uplifting Ganesha Chaturthi celebration. Filled with devotion, creativity and spiritual connection, the day left everyone present with a profound sense of peace and sacred togetherness.
Crafting form from the earth
The celebration began an hour before satsang, as devotees met early for a hands-on clay idol-making session. Everyone had the chance to lovingly sculpt their own Ganesha from natural clay, and these creations were placed on and around the altar, radiating the love and devotion of the community.
Chanting and sacred rituals
As the formal satsang began, the community offered prayers and chanted together: the peace prayer, to invoke harmony and tranquility; the Lalitha Sahasranama and the 108 Names of Amma; and the 108 Names of Ganesha, woven into a collective Ganesh Puja. Joyful Ganesha bhajans followed, then a traditional arati and a deeply settling period of silent meditation.
The symbolism of Ganesha
Devotees explored the deeper meaning of Ganesha Chaturthi. Ganesha, perhaps the most endearing of all Hindu deities, is beloved as the remover of obstacles and the bringer of good fortune — which is why major rituals begin with the Maha Ganapathy Homa, and why Amma's evening bhajans always start with a song to him. Beneath the festive delight lies an eternal truth: Ganesha's form emerged from the divine, from his mother Parvathi, and celebrating his birthday reminds us of our own sacred origin.
Returning to the formless
The evening closed with a delicious potluck dinner provided by the host and attending devotees. Afterwards, devotees took their clay statues home to immerse them in water. For newer devotees, it was explained that the immersion signifies detachment: all earthly forms are temporary, with both their origin and their final destination in the formless Absolute.
It was an unforgettable day of aligning our hearts with the divine, letting go of attachments, and resting in the warmth of Amma's love. See the photos on the MA Center LA Facebook page.
